In recent years, eyeglasses and sunglasses designed for athletic activities have received tremendous popularity. Typically, these eyeglasses are designed to protect the wearer's eyes from wind, flying objects, and, in the case of sunglasses, sunlight. While various athletic eyeglass designs have provided different styles and combinations of features, all such eyeglass designs have attempted to maximize certain common features and characteristics.
Perhaps foremost among these characteristics, eyeglasses designed for athletic activities should be as light as possible without sacrificing the required strength and resilience. To lighten the eyeglasses, polycarbonate lenses have been developed. Typically, at least a top frame member is provided for securing the temple and ear stems to the lens. The provision of a top frame adds undesirable weight and limits upward visibility.
Athletic style eyeglasses preferably have a wrap-around design. The wraparound design provides greater protection from glare above, below, and to the side of the wearer's head, as well as greater protection from wind and objects in the environment such as dirt and projectiles.
A very desirable feature in eyeglasses intended for athletic use is provision for relative detachability of the several components that make up the eyeglasses. In particular, it is desirable to be able to remove and replace the lens, the temples, the ear stems (if a two-piece temple is used), and the nose piece. This is because the several components may each have different expected work lives. In particular, the polycarbonate lenses are prone to scratching and may require replacement more frequently than the other components. It is also important that the components be easily detachable without damage to or risk of damage to any of the components.
Each of the above described features of athletic style eyeglasses must be provided for without unduly compromising the aesthetic functionality of the eyeglass and the cost effectiveness of its manufacture. To this end, it is desirable to have an eyeglass construction which lends itself to modification of the lens shape and frame configuration.
Thus, there is a need for an eyeglass which is light and strong, and which provides for easy detachability between its various components. Moreover, there is a need for such an eyeglass which allows for great variability of the configuration of the lens and the means for securing the ear stems to the lens such that it lends itself to a wide variety of styles. Further, there is a need for such an eyeglass which is cost effective to manufacture.